Home Away From Home
by lirpa-chan
Summary: Ch.7 UPTakeru finally has the chance to get the girl of his dreams, Hikari, but then unexpectedly his parents are having Yamato and him move to America for one year with their father. During his time there, T.K. meets someone who makes him feel at home. H
1. Chapter One: Spoiled Plans

Home Away From Home

  
  


Chapter One: Spoiled Plans

  
  


"And the equivalent ratio to three-hundred and thirty-four is……" I yawned, eyes drooping from boredom and sleepiness. My face was in my hand, which was being propped up by my elbow. Suddenly something hit me in the side of the face snapping me to attention.  
  
I looked down on the desk where a triangular folded up piece of paper lay. I looked around the classroom to see if it was one of the basketball guys playing a joke on me. Nope. Everyone was falling asleep…… Unless it came from behind me. Making sure Mr. Kuragura was facing the white board I turned my head around slowly. Two seats behind me and three seats to my right sat Motimaya Daisuke scribbling madly in his binder and I was pretty sure it wasn't math notes.   
  
Sure enough a few seconds later he quietly tore a piece of paper out of his binder and crumpled it up into a ball. Pretending to stretch, he delicately let the crumpled piece of paper roll off the back of his hand and onto the desk of Yagami Hikari. She picked it up just as Mr. Kuragura called on me.  
  
"Takaishi," He said as I turned quickly around and stood up. "If I gave you forty pears and told you to divide them by five and then add five, what would you get?"  
  
"Um, thirteen?" I guessed.  
  
"And Notori……" I sat back down and zoned him out again before picking up the triangular paper that I guessed Davis threw at me.  
  
I unfolded it carefully, looking up every few seconds to make sure Mr. Kuragura wasn't watching. For the amount of folds it took to prepare the note it sure had nothing much to say.   
  
[ T.K.,  
  
It's Davis. I was wondering if you, Kari, and Ken wanted to hang out after school today. Maybe go play soccer and hit the pizza place. I dunno, I just know I can't stand the sight of my bedroom walls any more, so let's do /something/! ]  
  
I crumpled up the paper and turned my head around to hopefully meet Kari or Davis's eyes to show my approval. As if instinctively Davis's head popped up from his binder and he met my gaze with a grin. I smiled and nodded my head holding up the piece of now crumpled up paper so he knew what I was talking about. He gave me the thumbs up and I saw Kari give the 'a-okay' sign. I turned back around in my seat and tried to stay awake for the remainder of class.   


A painful forty-five minutes later the bell sounded signaling the end of school. Everyone jumped out of their seats and raced for the door. I stood up with a yawn and put my belonging back into my backpack.

  
  


"So guys, what ya wanna do?" Davis asked Kari and I (being the only ones left in the classroom minus Mr. Kuragura). 

  
  


"I dunno... Any ideas Kari?" I asked turning around to meet a pair of raspberry eyes. She looked thoughtful for a moment before suggesting,

  
  


"Why don't we ask Ken if he's free to hang out first. It wouldn't hurt to see if Miyako wanted to do something too." 

  
  


"I left her out of the plan because she has that computer club she's in today." Davis replied swinging his backpack over his shoulder. "And Iori doesn't get out of school till another hour."

  
  


"Well, I could do with some food, let's hit the pizza place." I suggested.

  
  


"Not a bad idea. I could get some for Tai that way he won't have to endure more of mom's meatloaf." Kari laughed.

  
  


"Isn't she taking cooking classes now though?" Davis asked her as the three of us left the classroom. "Shouldn't she be improving?" Kari shook her head and sighed,

  
  


"Nope, I think the worse has yet to come." 

  
  


"Well it's just as well, the only thing my mom can cook is lumpy oatmeal... As long as it's microwave able."

  
  


"Well at least Matt can cook." Davis said to me as we rounded the corner to exit the building.

  
  


"Yeah, but I get his cooking on the weekends and occasional weekdays."

  
  


"Oh yeah..." Davis replied. "We usually just call for take-out, I don't think any of the Motomiya's knows how to cook." He laughed.

  
  


"Tai and I get stuck eating some weird recipe mom's whipped up. We have an incredible immune system from it though." I smiled at Kari's reply.

  
  


"I think you were introduced to her cooking at too young of an age then 'cause you used to get sick all the time."

  
  


"Yeah, that was the weird thing between Tai and me, he never got sick when he was kid..."

  
  


"Well everyone's different. Just look at me and Jun!" Davis interjected. 

  
  


"Different? Yeah right!" I laughed. 

  
  


"Aw come on guy's, we are not like each other!" Davis pleaded defensively.

  
  


"We're only teasing Davis, at least you don't run around chasing..." Kari trailed off. "Well, you don't anymore at least." Davis sighed and put his hands behind his head like he does when he's embarrassed or nervous.

  
  


Upon exiting the building we ran into Ichijoji Ken. He was leaning against the brick wall with his arms crossed across his chest. When the glass door opened and the three of us came bounding out he turned his head and smiled.

  
  


"Hey."

  
  


"Hi." The three of us replied happily.

  
  


"I got your note." Ken directed at Davis.

  
  


"Great! I was worried it would've gotten lost with all the exchanging going on." Davis smiled.

  
  


"What do you mean 'with all the exchanging'?" Kari asked.

  
  


"Well during the break before math I gave my note to some kid in the hall and told them to make sure it got to Ken somehow. They went on and on about who they could give it to, to make sure Ken got it." Davis rolled his eyes, "Another admirer of the famous Ken Ichijoji."

  
  


"Anyhow," I started, "Can you come hang out with us for awhile? I know you're pretty busy still unpacking and all."

  
  


"Yeah, but there isn't much left to unpack or go get from our old apartment. I'm sure my parents can manage without me for a day." Ken replied. "So where are we going?"

  
  


"To the pizza place." Kari answered. "Then maybe a game of soccer."

  
  


"When did we all agree to play soccer?" I asked her.

  
  


"We didn't." She laughed.

  
  


"You just don't wanna play 'cause you're not as good as we are." Davis smiled.

  
  


"Thanks Davis." I replied sarcastically. "You don't have to be so blunt about it."

  
  


"Well you play basketball better then any of us." Kari soothed. I smiled. "Let's get over to the pizza place before all the booths are taken up. I hate sitting at the counter."

  
  


The four of us made our way down the street to the main hangout after school. The pizza place, as it came to be known, was a small corner restaurant next door to a popular comic book store. A little further down from the populated shops was the central park, our second hangout. It was in the center of the city, easy for any of us to access from out houses, which is why we usually met there on our day's off.

  
  


I was walking next to Kari, who was busy talking to Daisuke and Ken. She brushed a stranded piece of her mahogany brown hair behind her ear and laughed, raspberry eyes twinkling in happiness. I smiled. How it was I came to develop feeling for Yagami Hikari was beyond my comprehension, it was just there one day. I looked over at Davis who backed out of the conversation he was having with Kari and Ken. He seemed lost in thought, so lost in thought that he didn't even reply when Kari asked him a question.

  
  


"Daisuke?" She tapped him on the shoulder. "You alright?"

  
  


"Huh?" He blinked. "Oh... Yeah, I'm fine." I saw Ken raise an eyebrow at him, but he said nothing.

  
  


"Hey, we're in luck! It's not too crowded!" I exclaimed opening the glass door, making the chimes sing. 

  
  


"Why don't you and Kari go get a booth? Me and Takeru will order the food and drinks." Davis said to Ken. Kari nodded with a smile and headed over to a booth near the windows. She liked to watch the passerby. Ken looked at Davis for a moment before disregarding whatever was on his mind and following Kari.

  
  


"Well, what are we getting?" I asked him as the two of us walked towards the counter where a bored looking collage student stood, chewing a piece of bubble gum. 

  
  


"The usual I guess." He responded somewhat distantly. I looked at him a little worried. This wasn't how he usually acted... He seemed out of it, lost in his own puddle of thoughts. Usually when we got here after school he claimed to be famished, acted lively, and challenged Ken and I to a game of pinball. 

  
  


"Hey Davis, what's wrong?" I asked concerned.

  
  


"Hmm? Oh, I just got something on my mind that's all." He replied to me before ordering a large pizza with extra cheese and a pitcher of lemonade. 

  
  


"Anything you want to talk about?" I asked.

  
  


"...Actually, yeah. But not here." He looked over his shoulder at where Ken and Kari had taken a seat. They were chatting contently, awaiting our food. "Let's take a walk to the Comic book store. I'll tell you on the way there." I gave him a quizzical look, but agreed.

  
  


"Ken!" Davis shouted over the noise of other people's chatter. Ken looked over to us and Davis pointed his thumb at himself and me and then to the door. Ken nodded before turning back around and restarted his conversation with Kari.

  
  


The pizza place was starting to get busy and Davis and I had to struggle to make it to the door to the outside. We walked a few feet before I asked what he wanted to talk about.

  
  
  
  


"Kari." My chest tensed. Kari had always been a subject that Davis and I would ignore when together. She was the one who got us to become friends, but she was also the cause of us being rivals at the same time. 

  
  


"What about her?" I asked trying to act casually. Daisuke was looking at the ground as we continued our very short stroll to the comic book store. He stopped and leaned against the wall of the store, still averting my eyes. 

  
  


I stood in front of him, curious, but worried. Normally I'd change the subject or he would change the subject if she came up, unless we were with her. It was like an unwritten rule between us because we didn't want to break the friendship that we worked hard to gain within the last few years. So it was peculiar that he would bring her up.

  
  


"Well, in a way it's not really about /her/. It's about you /and/ her." He said finally making eye contact with me. Now it was my turn to move my eyes to anything but Motomiya Daisuke. I was now in an uncomfortable condition, but there was no use in prolonging the conversation no more then what was necessary. 

  
  


"What about us?" I asked making eye contact with him again.

  
  


"I know you like her... And I think that she likes you too. It was kind of bound to happen, maybe you guys really are 'destined' to be together."

  
  


"Davis, those are just stupid-" I tried to interrupt.

  
  


"And that's /okay/. In truth, I still like Hikari, but I value her friendship more. It's been a crush I've been falling in and out of lately and I just thought maybe it was time to give up on her. It's obvious she likes me only as a friend and I'm okay with that." He was trying to sound convincing, and I was forcing myself to be convinced. If Daisuke said he was okay with it then he was okay with it, right?

  
  


"I-I think you should tell Hikari how you feel because I think she feels the same way about you..." I was at a loss for words. Happiness rippled through my body, but at the same time I felt that it would be betraying one of my best friends. Just then Davis broke into a smile, a genuine one, not a grimace. /That/ made me happy and caused me to grin back.

  
  


I didn't know exactly what to say, just grin like a stupid idiot all the (short) way back to the now out-of-the-door-crowded pizza place. We pushed ourselves through the mob of people and back to our booth. The pizza was already on the table with a few slices gone and the Lemonade pitcher a little more then half full, but I was surprised to see my brother sitting there with a stoic face.

  
  


"Matt?" He looked up at me.

  
  


"Oh hey guys, we were wondering where you went." Kari said before taking a sip of her lemonade just as Ken said,

  
  


"Yamato's been looking for you." Matt stood up and thanked Ken and Kari for the drink before turning to me.

  
  


"T.K, we have to go home."

  
  


"Now? Why?" I asked a little confused.

  
  


"Something important has come up." I stared at him confused and pleading. He remained stoic, but seemed disgruntled. I sighed defeated.

  
  


"Will you guys excuse me for today? It seems something has come up." I bowed as an apology and the two of us left the pizza place leaving my friends to only wonder... Myself included.

  
  
  
  
  
  


To be continued...


	2. Chapter Two: Dilemma

Chapter Two: Dilemma

  
  


"What's going on?" I asked my brother as we walked up the steps of my apartment building. "Is mom ill?"

  
  


"No." He replied almost annoyed. He opened the door to my apartment to reveal a very shocking sight.

  
  


"Mom? Dad?" I asked the two adults sitting at the kitchen table. Dad closed his eyes and took a drag of coffee where my as my mother smiled at the two of us.

  
  


"I see you found him alright." She said to Matt as we commenced to take off our shoes.

  
  


"Yeah." He answered her annoyed. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. I looked up at Matt with a raised eyebrow.

  
  


"That's no way to speak to your mother Matt." Dad stated. Matt didn't say anything. I looked between him and my parents.

  
  


"Um... So, what brings you here Dad?" I asked nervous. 

  
  


The only times our parents were together was when it had something involving Matt or I. Matt was present and other from looking peeved he seemed in perfect health. There wasn't anything wrong with me, and we didn't have any other close relatives that both parents shared to be concerned about, so I couldn't fathom why they were here together in mom's kitchen.

  
  


"You should sit down T.K., you too Matt." Mom replied gesturing to the other two chairs at the kitchen table. I walked over to the table and sat down feeling rather awkward. Matt stayed in his spot with his arms crossed observing us.

  
  


"Yamato." Dad said to Matt sternly. The older teenager looked at him plainly. Dad sighed and took another sip of his coffee.

  
  


"I already don't have a say in the matter so why does it matter if I'm here or not?" Matt asked suddenly.

  
  


"Matt, please..." Mom pleaded with the eldest son running a hand through her hair in frustration.

  
  


"What's going on?" I asked trying to avoid conflict. I was so uncomfortable. Tension rippled within the house and weighed heavily on my shoulders. The pit of my stomach was in knots, I was afraid a fight would start up if the stress between my family members grew any more then what it already was. The two adults looked at each other for a moment and silence rung through the house. 

  
  


"We want to discuss moving, Takeru." Dad finally spoke up shifting his eye contact to me. I blinked at him.

  
  


"M-moving?" I asked surprised. "Where to?"

  
  


"To New York, America with your father and Matt." Mom continued where dad left off. I stared at her in disbelief and she put a comforting hand on my knee. "It'd only be for a year, honey. Besides," She shifted her eye contact to my father, "it'd be a good way to bound with your father."

  
  


"And where will you be?" I asked still shocked at the purposal.

  
  


"T.K., I haven't been home as often as I should and you shouldn't be home alone all the time. This will only increase for the next few months because Grandma's ill and I have so many deadlines for news reports that I need to travel for... This seemed like the best solution." She explained.

  
  


"Then why America? Why move there?" I asked. It wasn't that I disliked America, on the contrary I thought it was a great place. I had a lot of fun when Kari and I went to visit Mimi there a few years ago, well before the whole confrontation with Willis and Cocomon.

  
  


"I've had a job transfer to a t.v. station in New York." Dad stated. "It should be a good experience for us." He added. I slouched back into the chair, my head spinning.

  
  


"When would we be moving?" I asked having the school year just starting up again.

  
  


"Probably in two weeks, a little more perhaps." Dad replied.

  
  


"Two weeks..." I murmured. Two weeks was not enough time for me to get the nerve to even ask Kari out, never mind start a relationship with her. One word rang around my head: Why? Why now?

  
  


Dad stood up and picked up his emptied coffee cup. "We'll give you a few days to think it over." He patted my shoulder before walking over to the door and putting his shoes on. "Why don't you come home with me tonight Matt? Give T.K. some time to think." He opened the door and nodded good-bye to my mother before exiting.

  
  


I looked after him as he walked out into the hallway, leaving Matt here. Matt sighed and put his shoes back on looking up to my sitting figure. "I'll see you tomorrow then." He told me and then nodded, like dad, good-bye to mom before exiting and closing the door behind him. 

  
  


I sighed and put my head in hands with closed eyes. Mom came up behind me and squeezed my shoulders. "I know it's hard, but will you at least considerate it?" I lifted my head and turned around to look at her.

  
  


"What do you mean 'considerate it'? I have a choice?"

  
  


"In a sense you do." She replied after a moment. "I won't be home often which could be filed as child neglect, or you'd have to travel with me on extensively long projects, meaning you'd be missing a lot of school, but yes you could stay with me. I think going with Matt and your dad is best for you though."

  
  


I sighed again. "I need to think about this." She gave my shoulders a reassuring squeeze before letting go.

  
  


"I'm going to start dinner, why don't you start on your home work?" I muttered an okay before grabbing my bag from the door entry and retreating to my room.

  
  


I flopped down on my mattress in despair. What was I going to do? I finally had the chance to be with Hikari, but now... I don't think I could really live so far apart from my brother. Sure, we haven't really lived around each other our entire lives, but when I needed him he was always there. If I stayed here he'd be so far away, how could he help me then? And mom, she's already been so busy with her work. Now she'll have to travel to France frequently to visit Grandma, travel more frequently to reach her deadlines for work... 

  
  


I rolled over and faced the wall, troubling thoughts still ringing in my head. If I stayed with mom she'd be so stressed out and I don't want to push her to her limits... But what about Kari? What about my friends? How could I just leave them? I'd be moving to a foreign place where I knew no one except for Matt and Dad... I rolled back over now frustrated and defeated. I had to move. I couldn't put mom through all the stress she'd go through if I stayed here. I couldn't just let Matt go to America by himself. He's leaving his friends behind too after all. 

  
  


"Besides, it's only a year..." I told myself. Sluggishly, I rolled out of bed and got my books out to at least attempt my home work even though I knew it was futile with this dilemma on hand.

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  


The next day I sat at the picnic table close to the soccer field, furiously scribbling answers to my unfinished home work. I had fallen asleep last night and woke up this morning with my open math book across my chest. On top of that I was late getting up and didn't have time to grab breakfast or say bye to mom. She was probably sleeping anyway.

  
  


"Hey Takeru! Wanna join in a game of soccer?" Came Daisuke's voice.

  
  


"Sorry, I can't." I replied while trying to solve x =150 cubed + 18n. I felt his presence behind me.

  
  


"Why not?" He asked.

  
  


"Didn't finish my home work." I replied and on to the next equation. I didn't have to see it to believe he was staring at me open mouthed.

  
  


"Nani!? Isn't it usually me who doesn't finish Kuragura-senpai's assignments?"

  
  


"I know, I know. I had a lot on my mind last night." I replied skipping over a few hard questions.

  
  


"Morning Takeru, Daisuke." Came Kari's voice. "Why aren't you out on the soccer field?" 

  
  


"T.K. didn't finish his math." Davis replied.

  
  


"Motomiya!! Are you coming or what?!" Came some voice on the soccer field. "You could at least give us back our ball if you're not gonna play!"

  
  


"I'll be there in a sec!" Davis yelled back to his team mates. "Well we don't have Kuragura-senpai till last block so you should be able to finish your work by then."

  
  


"I hope so." I muttered losing my concentration.

  
  


"Motomiya!!" Came some whines.

  
  


"I'm coming!!" Davis yelled. "I gotta go, they're getting restless. See you in home room." With that Davis ran back to the soccer field, Kari giggled before taking the seat across from me at the picnic table.

  
  


"How come you didn't finish your work? That's not like you."

  
  


"I had a lot on my mind last night." I replied giving up on the last seven problems. They were just too hard to figure out within the next ten minutes.

  
  


"Oh yeah that's right, you left with your brother yesterday. What happened?" She asked concerned.

  
  


I sighed not really wanting to bring the subject up right now. I decided I was going to move with Matt and dad, but sitting there looking into her eyes... I wasn't so sure I could now. I thought about what Davis said yesterday, how he said he'd been falling in and out of his crush on Hikari. He gave me permission to ask her out with no hard feelings, but he didn't say he was completely over her... What if because of my moving he took the opportunity to seize his chance with her? I slapped myself mentally almost ashamed of thinking a thought like that. Motomiya Daisuke would /never/ do something like that to me. To anyone for that matter. I should know that...

  
  


"T.K.?" 

  
  


"Huh? Oh...right." I replied coming out of my thoughts. "Well, truthfully I'd rather not talk about it." She got a worried look so I quickly added, "Until everyone is present."

  
  


"...Okay." She replied uncertain rather she should press the subject further. I forced a smile and assured her it wasn't anything to be worried about.

  
  


The school bell rang, signaling the start of school. I sighed and put my text book and unfinished home work in my back pack. Kari got up and swung her bag over her shoulder, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. As we walked down the path into the school building I was troubled with how to break the news to my friends. How could I tell them I was moving to a foreign country for a whole year?

  
  


How could I leave them?

  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Three: Tell and Run

Chapter Three: Tell and Run

  
  


She was looking at me concerned again. I smiled and gave a small wave to her from across the English room. She smiled and turned her head back up front to our language teacher. I sighed for the up tenth time that block, running a hand through my already messy hair. I needed to tell them sooner or later that I'd be moving. I'm sure Matt had already told Tai, so if I didn't tell Kari she'd find out from him. Would she be mad at me? No, I don't think so. Concerned, maybe even confused, but not mad.

  
  


Now Daisuke, he /would/ get mad if I didn't tell them, might even sock me in the jaw for keeping it from them. Besides Kari, my brother, and Patamon (who I rarely saw), Davis was my best friend. Keeping something such as moving for a year from him would seem wrong. It seemed wrong any way I looked at it. My insides squirmed as I couldn't seem to keep my mind from wondering to suspicious, jealous thoughts of Davis taking a chance at a relationship with Kari while I was gone.

  
  
  
  


I mentally slapped myself again, clenching a fist, angry with myself. I had to stop doubting Daisuke's trust. How was our friendship supposed to last if I couldn't trust him? This is why we never brought Hikari up. I sighed, absentmindedly drawing spirals on my English notes. I looked to the clock above the doorway. Another fifteen minutes until math with Mr. Kuragura where I'd have to present a unfinished assignment. I sighed gloomily, resting my head in my hand. I'd probably have to hold buckets of water out in the hallway for all the school to see or serve a detention.

  
  


"Your home work for Friday is a one page presentation about yourself, typed in English." Our teacher told us. "Class dismissed." Kids got up from their seats to chat with their friends. I sat there lost in thought for a moment before commencing to put my stuff away.

  
  


"Takeru-kun?" Came Hikari's voice from behind me.

  
  


"Hmm?" I asked zipping up my backpack. She was quiet before replying that it was nothing. The bell rang and the two of us left for math. One more block to figure out when and where to tell them of my moving.

  
  


Last block dragged on in it's usual manner. No notes from Davis this time though, for he was fast asleep at his desk. I looked down at my plan book. Today was Friday, which meant there was no computer club. Meaning Miyako was free for the day. This was on the plus side of breaking the news to everyone at the same time... Well, except for Hida Iori, but I suppose I could wait to tell everyone until he was present.

  
  


Math ended in a stoic manner. I sluggishly put my belongings in my backpack and sat there for a moment waiting. I heard Davis grumble in his sleep as Kari tried to wake him up. Mr. Kuragura did not look amused at the scenario as he erased the chalkboard. I slowly rose from my chair, not wanting to stay in math for a moment longer, and walked over to Kari and the half asleep Davis.

  
  


"Come on Davis. Get up!" I urged him. He opened his sleepy eyes with a yawn before sitting up and stretching.

  
  


"So, what did I miss?"

  
  


"A lot Motomiya." Came Mr. Kuragura's stern voice. I turned around to see our teacher staring heatedly at Davis with his hands on his hips. "You'll serve two detentions tomorrow."

  
  


"Aw, but tomorrow's Saturday!" Davis whined.

  
  


"Exactly." Mr. Kuragura stated before walking away. Daisuke slummed his shoulders with a sigh.

  
  


"Well, that's what you get for falling asleep in class." Kari told him.

  
  


"Yeah, I know, but did he really have to give me /two/ detentions on Saturday?!" Davis exclaimed angry. "I mean, it's the last day of the school week!"

  
  


"Then don't fall asleep in class anymore." Kari stated.

  
  


"You can't tell me you've never fallen asleep in this class." Davis retorted.

  
  


"Of course I haven't. You need to pay attention in order to understand the home work." She replied.

  
  


"Come on guys, let's get out of here." I said to the both of them to cease their bickering. The two looked at me before complying and we all walked out of the classroom. 

  
  


~*~

  
  


Later the three of us, plus Ken, Miyako, and Iori, were gathered at the park. It was just about sunset, the sky turning to orange as the sun beamed down upon us. It was kind of odd how I managed to seclude myself from the others. I hadn't told them of my moving yet, I was still buying for time. I sat on one of the kiddie swings and rocked back and forth, kicking my shoe into the dirt. Miyako, Ken, and Iori were all talking together at the picnic table next to the swing set, Davis and Kari not far from them sitting on the lush green grass.

  
  


I saw Davis and Kari looking at me and talking amongst themselves. I was curious to know what it was about, but at the same time I figured I already knew. It was probably about my strange behavior today, as much as I tried to act indifferent to my situation at hand. I sighed and pushed off the swing. It was time to tell them, it was no use beating around the bush. I walked over between the two parties. 

  
  


"Um, guys?" I asked for their attention quietly. No one heard me. "Guys!" I spoke loudly. They turned away from their conversations and looked at me with either confused or puzzled expressions etched on their faces.

  
  


Now that I had all their attention I felt rather uncomfortable. I opened my mouth to explain myself, but no words came out. 

  
  


"What is it T.K.?" Iori asked. Again I opened my mouth to tell them and again I failed. Frustrated I ran a hand through my hair, forgetting my favorite hat was perched on my head. It fell off and onto the ground. 

  
  


I stared at it as the others looked on silently. Still staring at the hat I spoke quietly, "I'm moving."

  
  


"Speak up T.K.! I can't hear you!" Miyako shouted at me with a hint of annoyance at my inability to speak.

  
  


I picked up my hat and put it back on top of my head before repeating louder, "I'm moving."

  
  


They stared at me surprised. No one spoke, no one moved. I stood there debating on leaving them and heading over to dad and Matt's apartment. I felt like running away from them now that the news was out. I looked down at the ground where Kari and Daisuke sat. Kari stared up at me, with a look of sadness. I looked away from her painfully and to the swing set where no one was.

  
  


"W-where are you moving to?" I heard Kari ask quietly.

  
  


"America." I responded, eyes still staring intently at the swings.

  
  


"No." I heard Daisuke whisper. "This isn't how it's suppose to be."

  
  


"Why!?" Miyako shouted at me. "Why are you moving now?! School just started up again, it's already half over in America!" Guilt swelled within me. I had a choice to stay, but I wasn't. Why wasn't I? I looked over to her, Iori, and Ken. 

  
  


"M-my dad got a job transfer..." I replied, eyes beginning to sting.

  
  


"Why should that matter? You live with your mother." Iori stated quietly. The stinging in my eyes were starting to give way to tears. I did not want to show them any tears.

  
  


I had betrayed them with my decision to move and I brought this upon myself, but it was the right thing to do. I couldn't stress mom out with all that she has to do now and I couldn't just let Matt go to America all by himself... As odd as it was that I wanted to stay with them, I couldn't bear to be around them all right now.

  
  


"I'm sorry." I said before turning around and running down the street. I heard some of their calls to me, but tried to ignore them as I made way to Matt and dad's apartment.

  
  


~*~

  
  


Matt answered the door. He had a confused expression on his face, but it quickly turned to concern. He allowed me entrance and I took off my shoes somberly. 

  
  


"Who's at the door?" I heard dad ask from the kitchen.

  
  


"It's T.K.." Matt replied shutting the door behind me.

  
  


"Huh? I thought you were going over your mother's tonight." Dad said from kitchen.

  
  


"Me too." Matt replied quietly watching me concerned. "You alright bro?"

  
  


I sighed and looked up from the floor. "Do you guys mind if I stay over here tonight? I don't feel like going home." Matt raised an eyebrow at me.

  
  


"Something going on with mom?" He asked.

  
  


"No, it has nothing to do with mom." I reassured him. "I just don't feel like being there."

  
  


Just then dad walked out from the kitchen and into the living room where my brother and I stood with an apron on. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods kid? Thought you were coming here Sunday?" He asked heartily.

  
  


"I just thought I'd come over..." I replied.

  
  


"Listen T.K, if you don't want to move-" Dad started, but I interrupted him.

  
  


"No, actually I'm going to, but that's not the reason I came over."

  
  


"Oh." Dad stated some what surprised. "Well, call your mother and tell her you'll be here for the night. Dinners' almost ready." He walked back into the kitchen to finish cooking. I moved towards the phone on the hallway wall.

  
  


"You're going to move with us?" Matt asked from his seat on the couch. "Why?"

  
  


"Do you not want me to?" I asked while dialing mom's number. "I don't really have to much to say on the matter either. Mom's too busy with her work lately and now that Grandma's ill... I'd just be in her way..."

  
  


"T.K., how can you say you'd be in her way? You're her kid, number one priority." He responded in disbelief.

  
  


"You're her kid too." I replied as the phone began to ring. Mom picked up after the fourth ring.

  
  


"Moshi, moshi."

  
  


"Hey mom." I replied.

  
  


"Takeru, where have you been?! I've been worried about you!"

  
  


"I'm sorry mom, I was out with my friends and decided to go visit Matt and dad."

  
  


"Isn't Matt supposed to be coming over here tonight?" She asked.

  
  


"That's what I've heard, but do you mind if we switch it for tomorrow night? It's already getting late." I requested. She was silent for a moment, thinking it over.

  
  


"Well alright, when will you guys be coming over?"

  
  


"Err..." I looked over at Matt. "What do you have planned for tomorrow?"

  
  


"I have my last practice with The Teenage Wolves before our last concert. I think that gets out around three." He told me.

  
  


"Okay... We'll be there around four." I responded over the phone. Mom sighed.

  
  


"Alright, I'll be home around three thirtyish. I'll see you guys then, love you."

  
  


"Love you too." I hung up the phone and turned to my brother with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I should've just went home."

  
  


"Not that I mind or anything, but why aren't you there? I was just on my way over there when the door bell rang." He asked. "What's going on?" I sighed and slid down the wall into a sitting position.

  
  


"I told my friends that I was moving. It was kind of weird how I want to spend the rest of my time with them before we head off to America, but I couldn't stand to be near them then." I paused for a moment before shaking my head disgusted with myself and adding, "I ran away from them."

  
  


Matt looked at me with understanding. "I know what you mean. I kinda went through a similar situation today."

  
  


"I bet you didn't just up and leave them." I replied bitterly.

  
  


"Well, I did make an excuse to get away from them, so I guess that's just as bad." He returned. "But you were lucky, you got to tell all your friends at the same time." I shrugged. Matt stared at me, something obviously on his mind, but he didn't say anything.

  
  


"Dinner's ready!" Dad hollered from the kitchen. Matt and I stood up and followed the scent of food down the small hallway and into the tiny kitchen. I looked at the table surprised.

  
  


"Dad... It looks edible." Matt commented jokingly. "You sure it's not a t.v. dinner in disguise?"

  
  


"Hey I can cook!" Dad defended himself with a smile while untying his stained apron and throwing it near the pantry door.

  
  


"It may look edible, but /is/ it?" I asked grinning.

  
  


"Oh come on guys, just eat it!" Matt and I shrugged at each other before sitting down at the table and testing our father's food. 

  
  


Matt came over to my place more often then I came over here, which made it was kind of odd sitting around the small table talking and eating with them. Oddly enough, I didn't feel like an intruder, but closer to them then I had felt in a long time.

  
  


Is this how it will be when we move to America?

  
  


~*~

  
  


To be continued...

  
  


~*~

  
  


Author's Note: Ugh, sorry guys, I think I got a bit OOC for both T.K. and Matt ___. My apologies!! I think it's due to the 2 a.m. work on the chapter. I got kind of stuck on it (I originally wanted this to be the moving chapter, but it didn't turn out that way). Anyhow, I hope you are all still enjoying this and I'd love to hear you comments! Suggestions are always welcome!

  
  


Eraya ^_~

  
  



	4. Chapter Four: Moving

Chapter Four: Moving

  
  


The next week went by in a hurry. Matt and I had to take extra English lessons to improve our skills before moving to America, so rather then always staying after school for extra help, we got our computer whiz friend, Izumi "Izzy" Koushiro to help us out. At first our red headed friend had been reluctant to help us, claiming Kido Joe to be better suited for the job.

  
  


"I would've went to Joe, but he's so busy with junku that he's not available." Matt had explained to Izzy. [1]

  
  


"Well, I'm not really that great at speaking it, but I'm good with translating and writing it." Izzy explained. "But what you really need to learn is how to speak it. Wouldn't it make more sense to stay after school with your English teacher or hire someone?"

  
  


"Oh come on Koushiro! I /know/ you can speak the language better than any of us." Matt had insisted. "Besides, we already are getting some extra help, but we need more then they can give."

  
  


"I can't drop everything I'm doing just because you need some help speaking a language that /I/ can't even speak well!" Izzy had retorted frustrated. 

  
  


"It's only for a week..." Matt persisted. "And you /can/ speak it! Why do you keep saying you can't?!" Izzy had his arms and legs crossed as he sat in his computer chair with his eyes closed, thinking it over. After a moment of silence between the three of us, our friend responded reluctantly,

  
  


"Fine. I'll help you, but it's only because you're moving soon."

  
  


Our sessions with Izzy were more relaxed compared to being with Ms. Hinata, my English teacher. With all our extra help we were improving, but were nowhere near where we needed to be. When we told dad of this he sighed and said the three of us would need to take lessons even when we got to America and that the language club at the school would be mandatory. 

  
  


My friends and improving my English skills took up most of my time, although mom did manage to drag both Matt and I out to dinner on Tuesday.

  
  


"Once you move to America, it's not like I can see you any time I want." She remarked. "I promise to come visit you though and make sure your father's taking care of you."

  
  


"We'll be fine, we've been taking care of ourselves for quite some time." Matt had answered cooly. Mom just sighed and went on to other topics and the three of us (mainly anyway) had a good time.

  
  


Matt got an oddly timed call from Tachikawa Mimi, our fashion model friend who moved to America a few years ago, on Thursday night (or early morning, whichever you prefer). Takenouchi Sora had written an email to the New Yorker and told her about our moving there. Mimi had gotten so excited about it that she called my brother (forgetting the time difference) once she got the message. It turns out that we're going to be living pretty close to Mimi.

  
  


"Maybe a street or two apart." Matt had recalled from the phone conversation. "She's really happy about it."

  
  


"Well that's cool, at least we'll know someone there." I replied. "Besides, we didn't get to see Mimi too much once she moved. Now we'll basically be living next door to her like old times."

  
  


Yesterday The Teenage Wolves held their 'farewell for now' concert during the early evening/late afternoon. The whole gang (even Joe!) showed up for the concert and most of my popular brother's fan club were bawling through out the entire show. During any free time that we had I saw Matt furiously writing away in a worn black notebook. I had wondered what he had been writing, but he wouldn't let me take a peek. I found out it was new material for the band, which they sang at the concert.

  
  


As the concert was coming to a close, the lights dimmed tremendously and only a sole spotlight landed on my brother. He strung the cords on his guitar and began to sing.

  
  


//This may be the last thing that I write for long.//

  
  


The fan girls had swooned and cried. Screams of "We love you Yamato!" or "Teenage Wolves forever!" erupted throughout the crowd. A sob had broken out behind me making me jump in surprise. I and the others had turned around to see Motomiya Jun sobbing while holding a sign high above her head stating "Teenage Wolves 4ever and ever!" 

  
  


"Jun! Put that down, you're blocking the view of the people behind you!" Davis shouted over the crowd.

  
  


//Can you hear me smiling when I sing this song? For you, and only you.//

  
  


The lone spotlight separated into a few different color spotlights and the song picked up the pace.

  
  


//As I leave will you be someone to say good-bye? As I leave will you be someone to wipe your eye?//

  
  


The girls went wild, I blocked my ears from all the earsplitting shrieks. I didn't know how Matt could put up with this. I didn't get how he could take all this attention as if it was nothing when he's always been pretty quiet. Then again, he's always been pretty popular even if he only has a few close friends.

  
  


//As I go, remember all the simple things you know. My mind is just a crutch and I still hope that you will miss me when I'm gone...//

  
  


"Wow, Yamato-san has really improved his writing skills." Kari had shouted over the squeals and noise the band was making.

  
  


"Yeah!" Miyako had piped up loudly. "Wasn't it Minomoto Koji who used to write the songs?" [2]

  
  


"How did you know that?" I asked the glasses wearing girl.

  
  


"Oh, well you know, I never forget a pretty face." She had laughed before becoming a deranged fan girl and shouting the bass guitar player's name and waving a small banner like Jun's.

  
  


"Miyako, where did you get that?" I remember Iori asking and then Davis asking /why/ she had it.

  
  


"Oh leave me alone!" The purple haired girl spat fed up. "I love you Koji!!"

  
  


//This is the last song!//

  
  


"Miyako, I thought you liked Ke-" Kari had started but Miyako quickly covered the surprised girl's mouth.

  
  


I remember Daisuke grinning. "Ah, come on Miyako, who is it?" Miyako glared at him, still covering Kari's mouth. Davis continued slyly, "The name begins with the letters 'K and e'. Hmm, who do I know with those two letters in his name?" 

  
  


His maroon eyes had traveled to the academically famous boy sitting next to him who had seemed to be ignoring their antics and concentrating on the show. "Could it be-"

  
  


"Drop it Davis!" Miyako yelled blushing furiously at the same time Kari had pried Miyako's hand off her mouth and agreed with the embarrassed girl.

  
  


//The hearts start breaking as the year is gone. The dream's beginning and the time rolls on.//

  
  


"Isn't he wonderful!?" Jun had exclaimed happily, tears streaming down her cheeks. Davis turned around to face his sister with a look of confusion etched on his face.

  
  


"I thought you liked Joe-senpai's older brother? You're not infatuated with Yamato again are you?" He questioned. Jun scowled at him and waved her banner around a little more before replying,

  
  


"There's nothing wrong with admiring his talent is there?" She demanded from her little brother. 

  
  


"Um.. I guess not." Davis had replied sheepishly.

  
  


//It seems so surreal, now I sing it. Somehow I knew that I would be this way, somehow I knew that I would slowly fade. Now I'm gone, just try and stop me now.//

  
  


"Oh he shouldn't have said that." I laughed a little. "His rabid fan girls will be all over him at the end of the concert."

  
  


"Yeah, begging him not to go." Davis returned.

  
  


"Well who would want a stud like him to go?" Miyako demanded. We looked at her with puzzled expression for a moment. "Did I just say that out loud?"

  
  


The song had started to slow down, a gentle tapping of the drums, strumming of the bass, and Yamato's smooth voice bring the song to a close.

  
  


//And will you need me now? You'll find a way somehow. You want it, too. I want it, too...// 

  
  


The lights then dimmed and total darkness came, the last cord of Matt's guitar closing the last song the Teenage Wolves would sing for a year. The auditorium's back lights came on and the people applauded madly, screaming at the top of their longs, begging for more.

  
  


My friends and I had decided we'd go back when the place wasn't as crowded (or noisy for that matter), so until then we made our way to the park to go hang out. At least till it was 'safe' to go back, as Daisuke put it.

  
  


"Hey, as long as Jun's in there it's nowhere near safe." He stated hanging off of the monkey bars.

  
  


"You really shouldn't say things like that about her." Ken had told the goggle-headed boy as he managed to hang himself upside down on the bars. 

  
  


"How are your English lessons going Takeru?" Iori asked me.

  
  


"Well, they've improved, but Matt and I are nowhere near where we should be." I replied with a grin.

  
  


"That's okay, Mimi-chan will help you out!" Miyako had pointed out. "After all, she speaks the language fluently now."

  
  


"Are you going to be living near Tachikawa-san?" Ken had asked me. I nodded.

  
  


"Only a street or two apart from each other."

  
  


About forty-five minutes to an hour later we decided to head back to the gymnasium where we found my brother, his band mate Koji, and Taichi cleaning up the stage and Sora, Joe, and Izzy near the technical equipment. Izzy was busy unplugging cords and entering codes into the computer, where as Joe and Sora were leaning against the stage chatting contently. 

  
  


Matt stopped to stretch as Tai and Koji lifted a speaker and disappeared backstage, carrying it off stage. "Hey Koji, you can go home if you want. These guys can help me out." Matt directed to the long black haired guy backstage. 

  
  


Koji appeared, his blue bandana hiding most of his black ponytail his green eyes quizzical. "You sure?"

  
  


"Yeah, I'll catch up with you tomorrow after school-"

  
  


"Nah uh, we've got plans tomorrow." Came Tai's voice from backstage. Matt ran a hand through his sweaty hair.

  
  


"That's right..." I remember my brother muttering. "We'll work something out, I'll talk to you tomorrow no less." 

  
  


"Alright, if you say so Yamato." With that Koji picked his guitar case up and waved good-bye to all of us before leaving. 

  
  


All of us had been quiet making sure no 'outsiders' were around before discussing plans for our trip to the Digital World the next day, today.

  
  


Now I stood outside of the elementary school with Kari, Davis, and Ken. We were waiting for Iori before heading back to the Junior High to meet up with Miyako and the others in our school's computer lab. We heard the school bell ring and shortly after Iori made his way out of the school doors and over to us.

  
  


"You ready?" I asked him. He nodded and the five of us headed to the Junior High, pretty quiet. 

  
  


I only had one more day before I moved. One more day before I got on a plane and set off for America. Only one more day to tell Kari how I felt about her... I could never seem to find an appropriate time or way to let her know without it being awkward. Matt told me it would be weird any way I did it because it was normal, so to just go for it. But I couldn't. What was the problem? Being embarrassed or was it something different? Like the fear of being rejected?

  
  


"Takeru?" Came Ken's voice. I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled a reassuring smile before we entered the Junior High and headed up to the computer lab.

  
  


Davis threw the door open to reveal Miyako and Izzy debating where to go in the Digital World, smudging the computer screen with finger prints. Tai and Matt were poking fun at the computer geeks, Joe and Sora just smiling and shaking their heads at them.

  
  


"Something tells me this will be a long trip." Joe smiled.

  
  


"Joe-sempai, you came!" Iori noted cheerfully walking over to his mentor. "I thought you would be too busy to come due to cram school."

  
  


"Nope." Joe smiled reassuring. "I can play hooky for a day, besides I needed to spend some time with my friends before two more members of our party leave." He replied gesturing to Matt and I.

  
  


"Don't say it like that, you make it seem like they're not coming back." Tai said to the older boy over his shoulder.

  
  


"I guess some things never change." Kari smiled. "Still pessimistic as always."

  
  


"Hey, I've gotten better." Joe defended himself.

  
  


"Gomamon will be proud." I laughed.

  
  


"Yeah, but you're still as uptight as you always were." Came Izzy's voice as he clicked on an icon making a computerized beep. "There. Everyone accounted for?"

  
  


"Yup." Came the replies.

  
  


"Everyone have their digivices?" Sora asked looking around. Everyone held theirs up, us youngsters holding up the D3's.

  
  


"Hey Izzy, do you still need a D3 to open a gate?" Miyako asked looking at her D3.

  
  


"Not anymore. I fixed that problem so any digivice can open the gate." He replied holding his digivice up to the screen. "With that said, let's go!" A blinding white light engulfed the red head and he disappeared from view.

  
  


We arrived near a lake with a small beach. It reminded me from the first time when we had to say our good-byes to our digimon partners. The small t.v. gate behind me turned off as the last of us came through the portal. I looked around at the scenery, lush exotic trees were in full bloom with a cloudless blue sky. It was peaceful, but sad that I'd be breaking the news to Patamon of my moving.

  
  


My moving wouldn't seem like such a big deal to the 'hamster with wings' as he had been nicknamed unluckily, but it would make it harder to visit due to the circumstances. "Should we look for them?" I asked.

  
  


"Nah, they're probably on their way now!" Davis replied searching the horizon. "I think I see them now actually..."

  
  


"T.K!!!" Came the childlike voice of my best friend. I turned around to find the big blue eyes flying into me. The force of his impact sent me stumbling backwards, but I regained my balance and gave him a hug.

  
  


"Patamon!"

  
  


"I've missed you so much!" Patamon snuggled in my chest.

  
  


"Me too buddy." I cooed. I released him and perched himself on his favorite spot: My head. "There's something I need to tell you Patamon." I told the bat winged giant hamster looking up.

  
  


"And what's that?" He asked looking down at me from his spot.

  
  


"I'm moving." I replied. He cocked his head to the side.

  
  


"What's that mean?" He asked naively. 

  
  


"Well, nothing really... It just makes it a bit harder to see you." I explained. Patamon frowned.

  
  


"Why?" 

  
  


"I'm moving far away, but it's only for a year and then I'm coming back."

  
  


"Will I get to see you while you're away?" He asked concerned.

  
  


"Um... Yeah!" I replied hopefully. "It may not be often enough, but don't worry, we'll still find a way to meet!" Patamon smiled happily.

  
  


"Right!"

  
  


Breaking the news to my digimon friend was a lot easier then when I had to break it to the others, maybe because I still had a way of visiting him while I was gone unlike I did with the others. We stayed in the Digiworld for a few hours and caught up with each other since it was a rare occasion we were all together (minus Mimi). I was sad when we had to go, but like Patamon and I always did when we had to part way, we promised to meet up again. I gave him one last hug before making my way to the t.v. gate and going back to the real world.

  
  


That night I found a solution to my problem on telling Kari how I felt about her. I had always been good at expressing myself on paper, such is how I got awards on some of my writing at school, so I decided to write a letter to explaining how I felt... And a request to wait for me.

  
  


~*~

  
  


The next day I woke up and wondered why I felt to depressed and then I remembered. I was moving. I was moving far away from my friends and from my mom. I also remembered I had to deliver my letter to Yagami Hikari. I cursed at myself for writing such a letter. I had thought about crumpling it up, but it was a little too late for that. I stepped out of bed and entered the small kitchen to the surprising smell of food.

  
  


"Morning T.K." Came mom's voice. I gaped at her. 

  
  


"What are you doing here?"

  
  


"Did you honestly think I would go to work on the day of your and Yamato's move?" She asked flipping a pancake.

  
  


"Well..." I yawned. "I have no problem with it." She smiled lovingly at me.

  
  


"I'm going to miss you so much."

  
  


"I'm going to miss you to." I replied still sleepy.

  
  


"Do you have everything packed?" She asked putting two pancakes and some burnt toast on a plate before serving it to me.

  
  


"Yeah, the packing has been done for a couple of days now." She nodded.

  
  


"Well, you have a few hours before you have to be over at your father's. What are you going to do?" She asked curious. I contemplated that.

  
  


"Um... Well, I want to hang out with my friends before I go...but first I'll have breakfast with you." I replied as I forced myself to swallow the burnt bread. She smiled at me as she flipped a semi burned pancake in the pan.

  
  


"How did Yamato's concert go?" she asked interested. "I was so mad that I couldn't make it. Matt probably hates me." She sighed.

  
  


"You know that's not true!" I replied shocked. Mom sighed shaking her head and bringing her plate of burnt food to the table. "You were probably better off not going, it was just a bunch of crazed fan girls and our friends." I tried to soothe.

  
  


"Is his band really that popular?" She asked taking a bite of her pancake before getting a look of disgust on her face. "Ugh, this is horrible!" I gave her a lopsided smile on her cooking comment.

  
  


"Yeah, The Teenage Wolves are the most popular local band around." I answered her question. Mom just nodded and we ate in silence for a few minutes before she brought up another topic. 

  
  


We spent the rest of the morning hanging out and making sure everything I was bringing with me to America was already at dad's or packed and in the living room. I got dressed shortly after a call from Miyako asking if I was going to hang out with them.

  
  


"Why wouldn't I?" I asked her.

  
  


"I didn't know if you were still packing for your move." She replied. "We're going to meet up with Ken, Kari, and Daisuke at the Pizza Place."

  
  


"Alright, I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes then." I told her. After quickly brushing my teeth and putting my note to Kari in my pants back pocket, I left to spend my last afternoon with my friends for an entire year.

  
  


~*~

  
  


The pizza place was crowded as always as the six of us waded through the sea of people to a free booth. I wanted to give Kari my letter, but I didn't want to do it with the others around. I don't think Ken would say anything about it and Iori probably wouldn't understand the whole thing entirely, but I feared Miyako and Daisuke giving me a hard time. If that were to occur it could embarrass Hikari into not even reading the note and her distancing herself from me.

  
  


I shook my head to clear those thoughts and concentrated on just having a good time. As usual Miyako and Davis fought, Kari tried to calm both down, I laughed at their antics and Ken observed, a smile on his face, only sometimes making witty comments. After our extra large, double cheese, and triple pepperoni pizza we thought it might be best to walk it off. We visited the comic book store next door so Miyako could pick up a copy of Ribbon Magazine featuring different shojo comics.

  
  


"I say we play a game of soccer!" Davis declared as we rounded the corner. "I want to kick T.S's butt one more time before he goes!" He added jokingly.

  
  


"Gee, thanks for the moral support Davis." I rolled my eyes with a grin. He winked and gave me a thumbs up.

  
  


"C'mon guys, I bet there's no better team then us in New York!" Davis said positively.

  
  


"What team?" Miyako, Iori, and I asked in unison not fairing too well in soccer against the other three. Kari and Ken shrugged at each other with smiles planted on their faces.

  
  


"I'll be the cheerleader." Miyako stated as we neared our favorite park, little kids occupying the playground.

  
  


"And I'll be the referee!" Iori chimed wanting just as bad as Miyako to get out the game.

  
  


"And...Uh... I'll be the score keeper!" I added.

  
  


"There will be none of that." Davis declared a sly grin on his face. "Soccer is a team effort, you need more than three people to play."

  
  


"It's just a friendly game." Kari added on looking at Davis. He nodded a bit disappointed.

  
  


"Don't look so disappointed Daisuke, you know you'll beat us anyway." Miyako said glumly. 

  
  


"Aw, come on guys! Think positive!" I directed to the two gloomy ones sitting on the grass.

  
  


"I'd rather just watch." Miyako mumbled before her and Iori hoisted themselves up off the ground and we picked teams. 

  
  


Kari, Iori, and I on one; Davis, Miyako, and Ken on the other. Davis shrugged his backpack that he'd been carrying off his back and unzipped it. He took out a black and white soccer ball.

  
  


"Ya guys ready?" He asked setting the ball down in the center of the field.

  
  


"Yeah." We all chorused. 

  
  


"Let's kick it up then!" He bellowed, kicking the checkered ball up into the air. 

  
  


The ball landed on the plush grass and the game began. We had a good time, even though Davis and Ken dominated the field and won by ten points. Kari held our team up, but we were still no match for the competitive Ken "The Rocket" Ichijouji and Daisuke "The Ankle Kicker" Motomiya.

  
  


"The ankle kicker? Where did that come from?!" Davis asked confused. I laughed.

  
  


"Well, you remember a few years back when you had to play against Ken?" I asked.

  
  


"Yeah..." Davis replied not sure of what I was getting at.

  
  


"Well, in order to keep him from getting a goal you dove in front of him, kicking his ankle." I explained. 

  
  


"He's done it since then too." Ken smiled. 

  
  


"Oh shut up! I don't deserve to be called an ankle kicker!" Davis protested.

  
  


"Didn't you hear Takeru correctly? You're not /an/ ankle kicker, you're /the/ ankle kicker!" Miyako snickered, which caused her to receive a glare from Daisuke. 

  
  


Miyako and Daisuke's bickering went on for a few more minutes before we decided to hit another popular hang out. There was only another hour and a half before I had to go back to my apartment and gather my remaining things before heading to dad's. There was only another hour and a half to give Kari my note. I stared absentmindedly at the park as the others started to walk away towards our next destination, taking in the scenery I wouldn't see for another year.

  
  


"Takeru?" Hikari's voice broke my train of thought.

  
  


"I'm coming." I sprinted over to Kari, who was waiting for me before we made our way out of the park. 

  
  


We were a few feet behind the other four, walking quietly together. My hand reached for my back pocket where the note with my feelings written out rested. I thought about giving it to her here and now, but then Daisuke turned around and motioned for us to hurry up. I cursed his bad timing, but knew it wasn't his fault. I smiled at Hikari before jogging to catch up with the others and the rest of the afternoon went on like it was an ordinary Sunday, like I wasn't moving after all and it was something that I just happened to dream up. Yet the never ceasing nagging in the back of my mind told me differently and told me I was running out of time.

  
  


"Hey, Takeru?" Davis said from behind me. I was concentrating on beating King from Tekken 4 and failing miserably. 

  
  


"Yeah?"

  
  


"Have you told Hikari-chan yet?" He asked in a whisper. King lashed a vicious attack on Jun, whom I was playing as, killing her instantly. The red taunting letters of 'Game Over' came onto the screen.

  
  


"Not yet." I sighed still staring at the screen. I debated on digging into my pocket for another token to continue my game, but somehow thought better of it. 

  
  


"You haven't told her?" He asked in a tone of disbelief. "Just when do you plan on telling her?" I turned around to face the goggle wearing boy.

  
  


"Look, I've just been kind of stressed out lately. Their hasn't been a good time to tell her." Daisuke crossed his arms and gave a small glare. I suddenly felt guilty. "I am going to tell her before I leave."

  
  


"You don't have that much time left! Just tell her now and get it over with!" He spat.

  
  


"It's not that simple!" I claimed irritated. Davis opened his mouth to say something more, but a Miyako's voice caught him off guard. 

  
  


"Hey guys! It's almost four, we should head back!" I sighed before turning to Davis.

  
  


"I have a letter that I'm going to give her. I'll give it to her right before I leave." I told him as we started walking to the exit. Davis nodded and we exited the building silently.

  
  


The four of us made our way back to Iori's, Miyako's, and my apartment chatting contently. I was a little more detached then normal, but I think the others understood why. As we turned into the parking lot of the front entrance I saw mom loading a few things into the car. She turned around pushing some strands of blonde hair out of her face.

  
  


"Just on time." She said with a smile. "Hello."

  
  


"Hello." My friends chorused back politely.

  
  


"Are you ready to go T.K.?" Mom asked closing the trunk to the silver vehicle. Time seemed to have stopped as my friends looked at me with sadness. Was I ready to go? I don't think so, but I had no choice except to go. It was the decision I made.

  
  


"Yeah..." I replied sadly, but did not move from my spot. Mom nodded understanding.

  
  


"Well... We shouldn't keep your father waiting." She replied regrettably before nodding bye to my friends and getting into the car. I sighed before forcing a smile onto my face for my friends.

  
  


"Well... I guess this is it for awhile." I stated. I looked around my group of friends. They all had gloomy face, Miyako even had unshed tears in her eyes. Their depression only worsened my own. 

  
  


Davis was looking at the ground before turning his eyes upward and a smile placed on his lips. "Don't sweat it! You'll be back in no time!" He slapped my back a few times before squeezing my shoulder, his way of saying good-bye.

  
  


"Yeah, and when you come back we'll throw a big party!" Miyako declared a tear tumbling down her left cheek, but she had a determined smile on her face. "It'll be perfecto!" Miyako made the 'V for victory' sign with a wink.

  
  


"And I'll have my mom make some of her special brownies." Iori promised.

  
  


"Better have her make a double batch if Izumi is attending." Ken smirked. 

  
  


Davis laughed. "Yeah, we all know how much he likes those brownies."

  
  


"We'll miss you." Hikari stated, almost a whisper. 

  
  


"Now or never." I told myself as I reached for my back pocket. I pulled out a folded up piece of notebook paper. I looked at it for a moment, nervous, before handing it to Kari. "T-this is for you." I couldn't help but stutter. 

  
  


She looked at it, but did not unravel it. Instead she just smiled at me, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. "I'll look at it later." She responded. 

  
  


I looked around at my friends once more before smiling and nodding good-bye to them. I opened the passenger seat car door and commenced to sit down, an echo of good-byes and we'll miss you's as I shut the door. A pang of heart ache and the faint blush still in place from giving Kari my letter stayed with me as I saw my friends one last time through a car window before driving away.

  
  


I couldn't help but wonder, did Matt go through the same thing?

  
  


~*~

To be continued....

  
  


~*~

  
  


[1] Junku is a private cram school that some Japanese students attend. Since Joe is always caught up with school work and such I figured he'd be in one of these.

  
  


[2] Minomoto Koji, for those of you who haven't guessed, is from Digimon Frontier (Season 4). For that season he is like the Matt of the group ^_^ and also my favorite character from Frontier, so I figured I'd have him have some connection with Yamato. Also, I didn't know if the Teenage Wolves band members actually had names. Sorry if they did!


	5. Chapter Five: A New Home

Chapter Five: A New Home

  
  


I set foot off the plane onto the concrete, a small suitcase trailing behind me. I turned around to see both Matt and dad trailing small suitcases behind them too. The airport didn't really look any different from any other airport I had been to, so I didn't know why I was expecting something different. Nearly everyone around me was speaking in English, I could understand a lot more of it compared to what my knowledge of it had been a few weeks earlier. I wonder how long it took Mimi to get used to speaking and understanding the language...

  
  


We entered the building that consisted mainly business man lazing in the uncomfortable chairs or speaking on their cell phones. Like the other waiting passengers we took a seat in the uncomfortable chairs and awaited for our guide. Dad yawned tiredly and stretched to the heavens.

  
  


"I just hope most of our stuff will be at the apartment when we get there." He said slumming down into the chair.

  
  


"Well you sent it over here weeks ago." Matt replied eyes dropping just a bit from jet lag. 

  
  


"True." Dad replied to the eldest son. "Now where is our guide?" 

  
  


"She'll be here soon... As long as there's not a mall around." I responded. 

  
  


"Konnici wa!" A female voice rang from behind us. 

  
  


The three of us turned around to find a girl no more than a year younger than Matt. She had a black and blue plaid skirt that ended a little above her knees and a long white cuff sleeved blouse on. White knee socks came up from deep blue platform shoes. Her honey brown hair wavered just a bit giving it volume and met just below her shoulders and her rusty brown eyes twinkled in delight.

  
  


"Tachikawa-san, it's nice to see you." My father said to the girl with a smile and she bowed to us politely.

  
  


"O-genki desu ka (How are you)?" She asked us all as a male her age came running up behind her.

  
  


"Arigato gozaimasu, genki desu (Fine, thank you)." Dad replied.

  
  


"Mimi!! Why did you go running off like that!?" The blonde wavy haired boy asked exasperated, yet out of breath. Mimi turned around in surprise.

  
  


"Michael! You scared me!" She shouted out in English. He stood up having now caught his breath and pushed some wavy strands of hair behind his ear.

  
  


"My apologies." He replied before looking at us with a smile and bowed. "Konnici wa."

  
  


"Ishida-san, Yamato-san, this is Michael. Michael, Ishida-san and Yamato-san. I'm assuming you remember Takeru-kun." Mimi introduced us cheerily. 

  
  


"Hai, I remember Takeru-san. Hajime mashite (How do you do)?" Michael replied in Japanese. For an American he spoke the language very well. Mimi also told me he was fluent in Spanish too from living in the suburbs in New York for a time. 

  
  


"Good, but tired." My dad replied with a smile that turned into a yawn.

  
  


"Same." My brother replied. "So, where is our apartment located anyway?"

  
  


"Down the street from me." Mimi replied. "Come on, your chariot awaits." With that Mimi turned around and headed to the exit. 

  
  


Sluggishly we followed the energetic girl's wake to a black van. We piled our suitcases in the trunk and exchanged pleasantries with Michael's mother before pilling into the car and heading to our new home. A half hour later of sleeping we arrived at a large apartment complex. It had five flights of stairs to each building that connected like an incomplete square, leaving an open gap between them for a parking lot. 

  
  


"Which level are we on dad?" I asked yawning as the car came to a halt in the parking lot.

  
  


"The third one I believe." He replied while double checking the paper he had stored in his wallet. Matt and I groaned too tired to even get out of the car. "Come on guys, we have to move up there at some point."

  
  


"If you need help settling in don't hesitate to call us." Michael's mom winked in the rearview mirror at us. "Are you starting work tomorrow Mr. Ishida?"

  
  


"Not yet." Dad replied dragging the suitcases out of the trunk of the van. "Their waiting until the boy's start up at school and we're some what settled in. I'd say a week or so."

  
  


"I see." The wavy haired woman replied before eyeing the digital clock on the radio. "I hate to leave you in such a state, but I'm already late picking up my sister's kids at the daycare center."

  
  


"It's fine. Thank you for the ride." Dad replied and bowed.

  
  


"Thanks."

  
  


"Thank you!" Matt and I bowed.

  
  


"Mimi, are you going with us?" Michael asked as he got in the passenger's seat of his van.

  
  


"I guess I have to, I told mom I'd help her with planning dad's dinner party tonight." She sighed before turning her attention to us. "I'll come over tomorrow to help you settle in if you want."

  
  


"That would be great." I replied with a smile.

  
  


"If you're not busy be our guest." My father replied before picking up his suitcase and heading for the stairs. "Until then, sayonara."

  
  


"I'm so glad you guys are here!" Mimi exclaimed happily. She wrapped Matt and I in a hug before jogging over to the van and hopping in. "Sayonara!"

  
  


"Bye!" Matt and I chorused. The two of us looked at each other for a moment and shook are heads before following dad's lead.

  
  


~*~

  
  


12:00 p.m. It was 12:00 p.m.

  
  


Oh wait, it was /12:01 p.m/.

  
  


I stared at the digital clock with half closed eyes. How long had I been sleeping? More importantly, where was I? The room around me was littered in boxes, some open and contents exploited, others closed, the words 'fragile' written all over them. The room's repulsive olive colored paint peeled, obviously old. Mere inches below me was a thin tanned carpet. The stench of something sour reached my nostrils.

  
  


"Afternoon sleepy head." I heard my brother say. I turned around on the mattress to look up at my wide awake brother.

  
  


"Matt?"

  
  


"You've been sleeping for hours T.K.. Don't you think it's time you get up?"

  
  


"Would asking for five more minutes be futile?" I asked as I sleepily sat up.

  
  


"You should get dressed, Mimi's coming over remember." Matt told me before making his way out of the room. I sighed and pushed the my blankets off of me before stumbling over to my suitcase. 

  
  


Finding something suitable I dressed and looked about me. Walking out of the door less doorway, I took a right and proceeded into the kitchen where I found dad sitting at the kitchen table daydreaming. Matt was leaning against the kitchen counter dressed all in black with the exception of his white socks. 

  
  


"So you're up Takeru." Dad spoke noticing me enter. "It seems we all got up a bit late today."

  
  


"So... What are we doing today?" I asked.

  
  


"Well, I'd say unpack-" Dad began, but was interrupted by a knocking at the door.

  
  


"I'll get it." I replied, being closest to the door. A short walk down the small hallway I came to the apartment door. 

  
  


"Afternoon Takeru!" Mimi smiled brightly when I opened the door. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she was clad in navy blue flares, a pink t-shirt that stated 'Roxy', and a pair of sandals. She frowned suddenly, "Did you just wake up?"

  
  


I smiled sheepishly, "Yeah." I allowed her entrance and I took her to the kitchen.

  
  


"Ah, Tachikawa-san. It's nice to see you again." My dad smiled politely at Mimi.

  
  


"Afternoon Ishida-san." She replied to my father before saying hello to Matt. She looked around at our new home with a mild look of horror. "Y-your not planning on keeping these... decorations are you?" She asked us.

  
  


I looked at Matt who shrugged and the both of us looked at our dad. Dad looked back at us with a look of mixed embarrassment and confusion. "Well... We were thinking about unpacking today..." Dad replied to the appalled girl.

  
  


"Uh uh." She replied shaking and index finger at us slowly. "This olive green has got to go!" I privately agreed. "May I see the other rooms?" She asked. "I need to make observations on the colors to help you guys out."

  
  


"Um... Sure." My dad replied. "Matt, Takeru, show her around."

  
  


"Um, down here are the bedrooms..." I gestured down the hallway towards the apartment door.

  
  


~*~

  
  


A few hours later I found myself adding the second coat of pale blue to my and Matt's bedroom walls. Matt, dad, and Mimi were finishing up in the Kitchen (being painted white and a slate blue). Tired once again and covered in paint, I finished the last wall of painting. Deciding to go see how the others were fending I made my way into the kitchen.

  
  


"You guys finished yet?" I asked.

  
  


"Just about." Matt replied adding a coat of slate blue paint onto one of the bottom cupboards just as Mimi put her paint brush in the paint can.

  
  


"I'd say the painting is through." She smiled triumphantly. "Now all we need is to let it dry... Let's go take a walk, I can show you around."

  
  


"That sounds like a good idea." I replied happy to get away from the gaging smell of paint. Dad's cell phone rang on the pathetic excuse for a kitchen table and he crossed the room to answer.

  
  


"Hello?" He answered in English. "Ah, Mr. Kenjai..." He talked for a few minutes before folding the bottom lip of the phone up and placing it in his shirt's pocket. "That was Mr. Kenjai, one of the guys who work at the t.v. station." 

  
  


"What did he want?" Matt asked washing the paint off his hands at the kitchen sink.

  
  


"He wants to show me company and to see how we were fairing." Dad replied.

  
  


"I thought you weren't going to work until you enrolled T.K. and Matt in school." Mimi voiced with confusion briefly crossing her features. 

  
  


"I have to see the working facility before I actually work there." Dad explained. "Also, Mr. Kenjai is going to show me around the city. I was planning on enrolling the two today."

  
  


"You were going to have us go to school tomorrow?!" Matt asked stunned.

  
  


"Well... No, but at least your enrollment would be out of the way." Dad responded.

  
  


"Okay..." Matt replied.

  
  


"Relax, school doesn't start up again till next week." Mimi smiled. "We're on vacation!"

  
  


"Vacation?" Matt and I asked surprised.

  
  


"Yeah, the school system here doesn't start until September and ends in June. We have mini breaks in between." Mimi explained to us. "I thought you guys new that..." Matt shrugged while I stood there blinking.

  
  


"Mr. Kenjai is on his way to pick me up. I should be home around eight if not earlier." Dad told the three of us. "If you go anywhere --which you should while the paint dries-- lock the door and take the key." Dad handed Matt a key from his pocket. "I'll have copies of them made soon, but until then we'll have to share this one."

  
  


A car beeped outside our apartment and dad went to the window. "That would be Mr. Kenjai." He said more so to himself. "What are you guys going to do for the night?"

  
  


"I'd like to show them around, if that's okay." Mimi replied.

  
  


"That would be great." Dad smiled. "I have my cell if anything important comes up..." He told us as he headed for the door. "Don't forget to lock up when you go." We heard the door open and close noting dad's departure.

  
  


"So, where to now?" I asked.

  
  
  
  
  
  


To Be Continued....

  
  


~*~

  
  


Author's Note: Hey guys, I'd like to apologize for this chapter coming out so late!! Also for the lack of quality it might have compared to the others ___. Reason for both of these is that I've been extremely busy lately to really sit down and work on it due to play practice. After April 12th though things should be back on track for this fic ^_~.

  
  


Also, I'd like to thank SSJ (a.k.a. Relaxing Pikachu, she replies on the ML), Silver Angel, Music Chick, Sapphire Spades, Telemoo37, and Flipstahhz! Your reviews keep me going!!

  
  


Next up we'll get to the school part ^_~. Stay tuned...


	6. Chapter Six: A New School

Chapter Six: A New School

  
  


If there is one thing that remained absolutely the same, it would have to be the busy city. Fortunately we aren't smack dab in middle, more along the outskirts. It reminds me of Odiaba in a way. It was always busy there, but mom and I didn't live in the heart of the city and neither did Matt and dad. Mimi seemed like she couldn't get enough of it.

  
  


She took us to the high school that her and Matt would be attending and then to the middle school where I would be going. I did not like that plan. I was going to be separated from the only people I knew in America. Mimi told us that she just graduated from that school last year. 

  
  


"It's a really nice school." She told me. I guess my fear must have been evident on my face.

  
  


Matt didn't seem to like the idea of being separated either. He gave me a saddened look as we walked away from the middle school and down the sidewalk. Well, at least we had a week to prepare for it.

  
  


Mimi dragged us around the neighborhood, showing us where kids from school hung out, where to get good buys, where not to get good buys, some famous spots of the area, etc. I tuned Mimi out and looked around. There was a park much like the one back in Odiaba, but no playground toys, just a bunch of trees and benches. It was mainly the only green spot in the vicinity. Kids seemed to entertain themselves in there though, there were a few playing tag, running around their parents.

  
  


I stared at them for a moment and wondered, "Were Matt and I ever able to do that?" I suddenly felt a little jealous towards them and looked away, back to Mimi's pointing and explaining. My brother looked lost in his own world, but occasionally he spit out a few hmm's and oh's. Abruptly, Mimi came to a halt and whipped around to face us.

  
  


"What's with you guys!?" 

  
  


The two of us looked up aghast at the suspicious faced girl. "W-what do you mean?" Matt asked coming back to reality.

  
  


"You haven't shown as so much as an interest in this place never mind try to make a conversation with me!" She replied heatedly. Matt and I exchanged semi-guilty looks.

  
  


"Mimi-san, it's not that we're not happy to see you..." Matt began. "We're just kind of homesick... I guess."

  
  


The three of us stood in silence for a few minutes watching the passing businessmen and traffic jams that occurred during rush hour. Those little kids I saw in the park now passed us with their parents tailing them, hand in hand. I inwardly cringed. I just wanted to go home. Go hang out with Davis and Kari at the arcade...

  
  


"I understand how you guys are feeling." Mimi spoke up quietly. "When I first moved here I didn't want to really associate with anyone either. All I wanted was to go back to Odiaba where all my friends were, but I couldn't." 

  
  


She paused for a moment pondering what to say next. "It's only your second day here so I don't blame the way your feeling, but you should try to enjoy yourselves while you're here. New York's not so bad and the people here are quite nice, so... Just give it a chance, okay?"

  
  


"Yeah." Matt responded.

  
  


"Okay." I agreed. We walked around a little while longer with Mimi acting a bit more enthusiastic before heading home. The paint should have dried by now. 

  
  


Mimi gave us a few more pep talks about New York and walked us a back to our apartment complex. We stood outside the parking lot for a few minutes chatting before she said she needed to get back home to babysit the kids next door.

  
  


"Here's my cell number. Call me about English lessons. You're going to need more improvement before school starts up again." Mimi told us with a wink as she used a flyer posted on a streetlight pole as scrap paper.

  
  


"Okay, will do." My brother replied pocketing the piece of paper. "But don't you need someone to walk you home? It's not really safe for someone to walk home by themselves..."

  
  


Mimi smiled at my brother but shook her head. "Nah, I'm a lot tougher than I used to be. Or look for that matter." Matt didn't seem convinced but let the girl go down the street and out of sight. 

  
  


As we entered the apartment building we noticed the smell of paint had died down and someone was in the house. Matt immediately walked in front of me and stuck his arm out in a gesture telling me to stay where I was. Quietly, he tipped toed down the hall toward the kitchen and leaned up against the left side of the wall before peering in. His body sagged with a sigh and with a roll of his eyes he summoned me.

  
  


"It's only dad." He said.

  
  


"Oh." I reply walking in.

  
  


"Hey kids." Dad greeted while unpacking groceries. "While I was out I thought it might be a good idea to pick up some grub. Ironically, there happens to be a Japanese super market store not to far from here, but I did buy some American things to. Should probably live the experience, ne?"

  
  


"...Yeah." I smiled looking up at Matt. He only shrugged before helping dad put the food away.

  
  


"What do you say about t.v. dinners tonight? Something easy to make." Dad suggested. Matt and I agreed to it before looking at the options.

  
  


"Macaroni and cheese?" I questioned looking at the orange, cold box.

  
  


"And... 'Hot Pockets'... What the hel-" (dad gave Matt a stern look) "-heck- are 'Hot Pockets'?"

  
  


Dad shrugged. "I really don't know, they looked pretty good though." Matt gingerly put the box back down on the table.

  
  


"I think I'll pass on the... 'Hot Pockets'." He replied in English. I nodded in agreement.

  
  


"The macaroni and cheese doesn't look /too/ bad." I admitted. "Kind of an odd concept though."

  
  


"Americans love cheese." Dad replied opening the orange mac and cheese boxes. "But apparently you guys do too. I've seen what you put on your pizza." Matt and I grinned at each other before unloading the rest of the groceries.

  
  


We migrated over to the living room (a whole five feet away!) a few minutes later and turned on the television. We settled on a weird game show type thing called Jeopardy. It was actually fairly interesting although I didn't know any of the answers. Dad knew a few and our small family cheered when he got an answer right. However, most of the times he was wrong.

  
  


"What's that smell?" Matt asked sniffing the air.

  
  


"Smells like something's burn-- CHIKUSHO!!!" Dad jumped up and ran to the kitchen, throwing the oven door open. He shouted after that and whipped his hands up and down. "Chikusho, chikushoooo..." He whined. [1]

  
  


Matt and I got up and ran into the kitchen too. "I'll take care of the dinners, you tend to dad." Matt told me. 

  
  


Dad was now blowing on his fingers. "Looks like a minor burn." I said having grabbed dad's hand. "Run them under cold water, I'll see if we have any aloe gel."

  
  


"That's why you use mittens dad." I heard Matt tease as I walked to the bathroom. Yup, even in the bathroom we had some boxes. I figured the first aid kit would be in one of them. 

  
  


Having found the aloe gel in the first aid kit I grabbed a towel and returned to the kitchen. "Come here dad." I beckoned him over to the table. I gave him the towel and he gingerly dried his hands before I applied the aloe on his finger tips.

  
  


"Ah, doumo arigatou and gomen about dinner." Dad said looking at the burnt remains of the macaroni and cheese that Matt had pulled out of the oven. [2]

  
  


"Well, so much for that." Matt sighed. "I'll cook us something, you guys go watch t.v."

  
  


"No, you guys should go relax, I'll cook." Dad protested. My brother and I merely stared at him.

  
  


"Dad, you can't even handle a t.v. dinner..." I proclaimed softly.

  
  


"We really don't need the apartment burned down on our first night being here." Matt smirked. "Lets wait a couple days."

  
  


"Yamato." Dad said sternly.

  
  


"I was just kidding." Matt exasperated before searching for a pan. "Can't take a joke..." He went on to mutter.

  
  


"So, did Tachikawa-san show you around the neighborhood?" Dad asked changing the subject of his cooking skills.

  
  


"Yeah, we saw the schools we'll be going to as well." I replied settling in the living room.

  
  


"Oh? Is that so? Are they nice?"

  
  


"I guess..." I said uncertain.

  
  


"We haven't had the 'grand tour' of them so we really wouldn't know." Matt added sarcastically.

  
  


"/Yamato/." 

  
  


"Gomen, gomen."

  
  


"You'll be starting next week. Nervous?" Dad asked coming to sit in the living room with me. I nodded sheepishly, Matt didn't answer. "Don't worry about it, everything will be fine. Although, joining the language club is still mandatory."

  
  


"We know. Mimi has also volunteered to give us English lessons." Matt told our father as delicious smells wafted throughout the house.

  
  
  
  


"Mmm, smells good." Dad noted. 

  
  


"It should be ready in a few." Matt replied. 

  
  


"How does work look?" I asked dad.

  
  


"Not bad. Mr. Kenjai is very nice, as well as the other staff members. There should be no problem fitting in... Well, with the exception of my English skills, they're a bit rusty." Dad answered.

  
  


I nodded and patiently waited for Matt to finish cooking. In no time dinner was ready and dad and I flocked to the kitchen. The three of us ate together with casual chat. Dad told me I should call mom and let her know we were doing well and he was going to be hooking up the computer in the living room. Matt said he was going to be in our room unpacking. 

  
  


He seemed rather depressed and I suddenly felt bad. I've been so wrapped up in myself I really haven't paid any attention to see how the move has affected him. What did he have to go through during our last week in Odiaba? I stopped fishing through my bag for the phone card long enough to look at my emotionless brother out of concern. He wasn't the easiest person to get to open up, even to me. 

  
  


"Did you find the phone card yet?" He suddenly asked opening his suitcase and unpacking some of his clothes. 

  
  


I shook my head. "No. I'm still looking."

  
  


"Takeru!" I heard dad shout from the living room. I got up and walked out of the room.

  
  


"Yeah?"

  
  


"I found the phone card. It's on the kitchen table." He replied plugging in some wires into the wall from the computer.

  
  


"Arigato!" I replied picking the plastic card up and walking over to the phone. 

  
  


Placing the phone on my shoulder (and squishing my head on it to keep it there), I raised the phone card to see what numbers I was dialing. I punched in the 1-800 number before dialing mom's home phone number. After a few rings the phone picked up.

  
  


"Moshi, moshi." A female voice tiredly greeted.

  
  


"Mom?" 

  
  
  
  


"T.K.? Is that you?" Mom asked seemingly now awake.

  
  


"Yup, we made in to New York safe and sound." I replied with a smile.

  
  


"Thank goodness, I was worried about you guys." She replied before yawning.

  
  


"Tired?" I asked.

  
  


"Yeah, but that's to be expected at seven in the morning." She said. "At least you didn't call me at three in the morning, eh?"

  
  


I laughed. "I'll have to keep the time difference in mind. It's eight p.m. here."

  
  


"Thirteen hour difference." She muttered. "So how are you? Is it nice there?"

  
  


"It's not bad here, Mimi came over earlier today and we repainted the apartment. It looks nice now."

  
  


"Ah, Tachikawa Mimi right? How is she?" Mom asked. I heard her take a sip of coffee over the phone.

  
  


"Same as always. She going to be giving Matt and I extra English lessons." I replied twirling the phone cord around my hand. 

  
  


"How's Yamato? Can I speak to him?" She asked eagerly.

  
  


"He's here, hold on a second." I put the phone down on the floor (having nowhere else to put it) before going into the room my brother and I shared. "Hey Matt, mom wants to talk to you." He looked up at me from the floor grimacing a bit.

  
  


I didn't really know why, but Matt and mom never really got along. I guess it would have to do with when we were younger. We didn't get to see each other very often and maybe since I was younger I just accepted that our parents were divorced (because I was too young to really comprehend why they were) and had no hard feelings against either of them. But Matt, he's a different story... It's not like mom pushes him away, she's always asking how he is and stuff... 

  
  


He got up after a moment a walked over to the phone. "Hello." I heard him say. I walked over to the doorway of the room and watched his conversation. He was leaning against the wall, phone propped on his shoulder uh huhing it and examining his nails. 

  
  


"Yeah, we're fine mom... I'm fine! /Really/!" He tried reassuring our mother on the other end, but judging by his expression he seemed pretty peeved. "I gotta go, dad needs help." He handed the phone to me.

  
  


"Mom?" I asked the silent phone nervous. After a brief moment of silence she spoke up.

  
  


"You guys take care, okay honey? I'll come visit you guys in June, I'll take some vacation time."

  
  


"Okay, I look forward to that." I smiled.

  
  


"I love you."

  
  


"I love you too. Try not to work too hard." I warned. She lightly laughed before the both of us hung up. 

  
  


Having placed the phone back on the hook I looked over to where my brother stood, looming over our father. I couldn't hear what they were discussing over the noise of the television, but I had a feeling it had to do with Matt's behavior toward our mother. I sighed before slinking into our room. 

  
  


~*~

  
  


The rest of the week went by in a hurry. We managed to unpack all our belongings and identify that sour smell that had been lingering in mine and my brother's room. Apparently the people who lived in our apartment before had some cats and had the litter box in our room. They never bothered to properly clean the carpet. I think I may have puked upon learning that information... Regardless, we got it cleaned.

  
  


Mimi and Michael got us adjusted to our neighborhood so we could at least walk from the convenience store back to our apartment complex and not get lost. They also took the majority of the rest of their spring break to help us with our English, as well as teaching us the differences between American schools and Japanese schools. That wasn't too hard to grasp. It'd be like a minnie vacation to us, going to school at seven-thirty and then getting out two o'clock. Not a bad deal if I do say so myself. 

  
  


I was still nervous about going to the middle school by myself. Matt seemed pretty nonchalant when it came to school, but then again, he had Mimi and Michael to help him out. I was on my own... I really miss my friends, especially Kari. For awhile I was afraid to go online and have her instant message me. I was afraid she would have rejected my note considering she seemed pretty indifferent when I gave it to her.

  
  


I was wrong though, she accepted it with open arms. I've been smiling for days. However, she also told me it caused a little trouble with Daisuke.

  
  


"But it really didn't have to do with you! Just... well, I'm actually not really sure what it had to with." She had told me online.

  
  


As long as everything was okay back home I was glad. I talked with Daisuke too, he's okay and admitted to having been out of character. But he told me he had no hard feeling against me and actually congratulated me. It was a little weird, but I knew he had been sincere about it. I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone else though, too much of a time difference. Will have to stick with email.

  
  


But now, the dreaded day had come. It was our first day of school. The alarm had gone off at 6:10 a.m. waking me from us from our slumber... Actually, it was dad who got us up, our alarm had woken him. It was just as well though, he had to get ready for his first day of work and drive us in until we got the bus schedule. Matt was the first to use the bathroom. I think he was in there for a half an hour. I hadn't been sure if he fell back to sleep in the shower so I opened the door to make sure he was still alive.

  
  


Of course he was. He was standing in front of the mirror styling his hair. "You could've told me you were done with the shower." I said turning the hot water nob on.

  
  


"Gomen." He yawned. "I'll get you a towel." He left the room and I striped and got into the bathtub/shower. A few seconds later he knocked on the door before entering. "It's on the sink."

  
  


"Arigato."

  
  


~*~

  
  


About twenty minutes later the three of us had piled in dad's company car and were on the way to the high school to drop off Matt. Matt screamed cool. He found it odd not having to wear a uniform having gotten used to it after five years. I had only been on my second year of uniforms so it hadn't felt /as/ awkward. Matt was wearing a pair of beige colored pants and a button-up, black t-shirt. He left a few of the buttons at the top undone. I rolled my eyes, he was sure to be the new heart-throb of the school. I wondered if he really /did/ like all the attention.

  
  


I just dressed casual. A pair of dark blue jeans and a black long sleeved shirt. Matt said black was the thing to wear on the first day of school. I'd take his advice. Well, except for the hat advice, he couldn't change my mind about wearing it. Same hat I've had since... I was nine maybe? I've lost count how long I've had it. 

  
  


"You guys will have to take the bus home, I'm working late." Dad said as we came to a halt in front of the gigantic high school.

  
  


"Sure." Matt replied not really listening. I think his nerves were kicking in.

  
  


"Matt!" A female voice rang out. I looked out the backseat window to see who it was. I should've guessed, it was Mimi. Matt seemed relieved as the girl bounded over to our car, Michael at her heels. 

  
  


"Good morning Ishida-san, T.K." Her and Michael greeted. "Ready for your first day of school?" Mimi directed at me.

  
  


"Err... Sort of." I replied.

  
  


"Don't worry about it, you'll be fine." Mimi winked at me. "Oh! I asked one of my friends to keep an eye out for you. They'll keep you in line."

  
  


"Um... Thank you?" I laughed uncertain if that was a good thing or not.

  
  


"See you this afternoon." Matt said shutting the car door with a reassuring smile to me. I tried to smile back with the same courage he had, but couldn't manage it. We drove away and to my place of doom.

  
  


Dad tried talking to me, but I tuned him out trying to get a grip. I felt pretty silly about being this nervous, but my stomach wouldn't listen to how ridiculous it was. My first day of attending Odiaba Elementary, back in sixth grade, was like this. The only difference was I knew /someone/ there. I knew Kari attended the same school so there was a chance that I'd be in her class. But this was different, Kari wasn't there this time. No one was.

  
  


All too soon the car ride came to an end. "You're going to be fine Takeru." Dad declared turning in the driver's seat to look at me. I nodded with a nervous gulp. "Just head straight for the office, if I remember correctly they said through these door and then all the way down the hall on the left."

  
  


I grabbed my back pack and got out of the car barely managing to smile at dad as he drove away. I looked up at the tall intimidating building. It was all bricks except for a glass hall way type thing that connected one part of the building to the other. Concrete steps lead up to the glass doors where I could barely make out the shapes of kids and lockers. I gulped, pulling myself together, and took the first step up the stairs.

  
  


My very existence here as we know it all rested on my first impression on everyone. It was bad enough I entered a school where I knew no one, was more than half way through the school year, but I was also in the school's last year, eighth grade. I opened one of the glass doors and entered. Not many noticed me being wrapped up in their own conversations, others did, raising an eyebrow as to who I was. I kept looking straight ahead and walking to where I hoped the office to be. 

  
  


Could I possibly survive my first day?

  
  
  
  


* * *

To be continued...   
  


~*~

  
  


Author's Note: 

  
  


[1] Chikusho means pretty much 'shit' or 'damn'.

  
  


[2] Doumo arigatou means 'thank you very much' and gomen means 'sorry'.

  
  


So how do ya like me now? Tee hee. I'm soooooooooooooooooo sorry about not updating in such a long time!! I got so wrapped up with the play back in April and then a little bit of writer's block. My main problem was really calculating the differences between Japan and America's schools and the age/grade difference. I also had to figure out how I wanted this chapter to play out. I couldn't have it the way I wanted it to be sadly, but I'm quite happy with this chappy ^_^.

  
  


So, while this fic was on my hold list I started /another/ fic, which I thought I'd finish in a day or two. Yeah right. I should know myself by now, I can't write anything short. In any case, it's a side story to this one. I have Music Chick to thank for the idea, she wanted to see what Kari's reaction to the letter Takeru gave her back in Chapter Four. So I got an idea for it and started writing it. It's almost thirty pages now, sheesh!

  
  


That fic is The Trouble Causing Letter. In case any of you are interested. It's kind of funny actually, I thought the readers for this would have flocked to that, quite the opposite actually. I'll try to have the next chapter out A.S.A.P., so that'll probably be some time next month. It'll be from someone else's perspective... **Cackles**

  
  


My thank you's go out to: bishonen4ever Ace, Music Chick, Silver Angel, and DF! Thanks a lot guys!!

  
  


Eraya ^_~


	7. Chapter Seven: The New Student

Chapter Seven: The New Student

  
  


"Have you seen the new kid?"

  
  


"I heard he came over from Japan!"

  
  


"Do you think he's cute?"

  
  


"Oh definitely!"

  
  


This was the only thing you could hear being talked about throughout the school. It was a subject that dominated any girl's bathroom or locker room. Barely anyone has seen the new student, yet the rumor of a hot, new, Japanese guy being here spread through the school like wild fire. He was the most popular person within the school and was nameless, even faceless.

  
  


Well, to the rest of the student population anyway. I, on the other hand, had info on him. His name was Takeru Takaishi, T.K. for short. From the vague description I got from Mimi he was said to be tall, blonde, and has blue eyes. Otherwise, I was basically on my own in finding him, which could be a problem. This was a relatively large school with countless, nameless faces.

  
  


"Erika, ya comin'?"

  
  


"Be there in a min." I replied as I forced some books into my tiny locker.

  
  


It was turning out to be a long morning. It didn't help matters that I stayed up extra late studying for a test in math, which I think I failed anyway. The only thing that seemed to keep me from falling asleep in class was that I wanted to keep an eye open for Mimi's friend. The guy must be feeling pretty inadequate moving halfway across the globe and entering a school without knowing a soul. Hell, he might not even know the English language well enough to hold up a conversation. Although, that was doubtful since the Japanese are well known for their academic achievements.

  
  


The late bell rang and I just barely made it into Mr. Barry's History class. He gave me a stern look down his straight nose as I slid into the seat next to the door. He then commenced writing on the white board. I grimaced as I took out my fifty pound History book (literally, I weighed it at home the first day we got it). I was not on very good terms with most of my teachers at the moment since I kind of neglected most of my school work due to the Spring musical. Thankfully that was over now. Hopefully, I'll be able to rise the grades before the end of this term.

  
  


"Now, who can cover what we went over in class on Monday?" Mr. Barry asked placing the blue cap on his marker, turning to face the 30 or more of us in the class. 

  
  


Like a shotgun Miles Ladd had his hand up in the air. He was depended on by the majority of the class to keep us up to date. His voice was smooth, yet collected. He was one of those people you wouldn't expect to be 'smart', judging by some of the people he hung out with and what they did. Miles was pretty smart though-- and a pretty boy at that; tanned skin and light brown hair with a few blonde highlights in there. He had a terrific white smile, and light green eyes that screamed he was clever in one way or another.

  
  


I've liked him since the fifth grade.

  
  


"Ah, Mr. Ladd. Always willing to lend a helping hand." Old Mr. Barry said, nodding to Miles.

  
  


"American Revolution. We were just getting into... Uh, the Boston Massacre I think." Miles responded, cutely scratching his head.

  
  


It was a shame he sat three rows away and five seats behind me.

  
  


He caught my eyes and smiled while flirtatiously waggling his eyebrows as Mr. Barry went on to accuse Ally McNeil of not doing her home work. I smiled sheepishly, a heavy blush settling on my cheeks before quickly looking away to pretend I was getting ready to jot down notes. The euphoria of notice faded as beloved Mr. Barry started the discussion on the well known story of the Boston Massacre. 

  
  


I sighed because Miles Ladd was /very/ popular, funny, witty, tough, gorgeous, and very well sought out for. Any type of relationship between the two of us beyond classmates was a dream. He was a flirt, a well known one at that, so of course he'd throw a coy comment at me once in awhile, but he always seemed sincere. However, I knew he would never look twice at me. Oh no, not with Lindzy Tripe waltzing around in all her womanly assets glory.

  
  


"Wait... I don't get it." Came the ditzy voice of Tripe.

  
  


"Miles, explain it to her." Mr. Barry ordered with a sigh, not taking his eyes off of what he was writing on the white board.

  
  


Inwardly I cringed, knowing that she was twirling her artificially, straightened, blonde hair around her index finger and chewing that obnoxious blueberry smelling bubble gum, while making puppy dog eyes at Miles. Miles, of course, was all but willing to comply. He shifted slightly in his seat to face her (who sat a couple seats behind me, ugh) and put his hands across his desk, palms uplifted, and compassionately began to explain whatever it was that the ditz didn't get with a, "You see...."

  
  


I turned back around, practically fuming, and ran a hand through my /naturally/ blonde hair. 

  
  


The bell rang and I thanked the Gods. It was lunch time.

  
  


The halls became a traffic jam and I figured it might be just as well to wait in the classroom another five minutes. It wouldn't kill me, but it would be nice to get the 'once-a-day-bitching-I-hate-Tripe' out of my system. Five minutes wouldn't kill me; five minutes was nothing.

  
  


"Hey Miles, I'm having a party Saturday. You're comin', right?" 

  
  


Argh! Screw the five minutes, I'd rather be pushed and shoved and possibly ass patted then listen to their conversation another second!

  
  


I stormed into the crowd and held my history book close to my chest for protection from the claustrophobically close student body. Half of the dimwits had planted themselves in the middle of the hall, talking or doing some stupid handshakes. I bypassed my locker, not having the patience to push myself to the other side of the small hallway, and continued down the stairs to the lunch room.

  
  


The cafeteria was thankfully /huge/ with many windows letting in bright sunlight. So bright in fact, that you had to squint for the first few minutes to adjust to the new light. I stood to the side of the doorway, scanning for any sign of my friends at one of the many round lunch tables. Finally I spotted a familiar face, waving energetically at me, and only a good ten feet away. I swear I'm as blind as a bat, but the nurse keeps telling me I've got 20/20 vision.

  
  


"Whoa, space cadet!" Willis Micheals called to me as I approached. I rolled my eyes at him and dropped my belongings on the table.

  
  


"Seen any of our crew?" I asked scanning the doorway.

  
  


"Just you." Willis replied sitting down. "What about you? Any luck with Mimi's friend?"

  
  


"Nadda." I replied also sitting having given up for searching for anyone through the hundreds of bodies sifting in and out of the room. "Actually, I'm surprised I haven't seen them; you'd think they'd be easy to pick out don't you?"

  
  


"Um, no." Was his dumbfounded response. "Erika, we go to a school with /hundreds/ of people and we can't even name, or recognize for that matter, half of the people in /our/ grade! What makes you think you're going to be able to tell the difference between a new kid and one you just never noticed?"

  
  


"Well," I smiled deviously leaning across the table as if to whisper a juicy secret, "I've been told the new kid is a hot, Japanese guy. /That/, my friend makes all the difference." 

  
  


Willis laughed as I sat back against my chair and searched for our crew once again. After a minute or so of the both of us scanning the cafeteria, he pursued the conversation of the new kid.

  
  


"So, it's a boy, and Mimi's friend too?" He asked curiously. I nodded affirmative. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "This kid have a name by chance?"

  
  


I rolled my eyes, "Don't ask questions you know the answer to."

  
  


"Okay, I admit, stupid question. What's his name?"

  
  


"Something I can't pronounce." I smiled sheepishly. He laughed and shook his head again and I tried to defend myself, though laughing too, "Not well anyway."

  
  


"You're bad." He said, a grin still plastered on his face.

  
  


"I know." I replied somewhat apologetic.

  
  


"Ugh! My God! That Tripe is going down!" Catherine O'Brien declared angrily as she slammed her bag onto our table.

  
  


I smiled up at the Irish girl, "What'd she do?"

  
  


"You mean what /hasn't/ she done!" Catherine yelled, green daggers darting across the room in the insipid girl's direction. "First, I some how get stuck doing not most, but the ENTIRE project on Speak----- you know, the book we had to read for English---- and then her little posse decides to play a joke on the Irish girl, misplacing my workbooks, making snide remarks on my less than perfect assets--" Willis tried so hard not to laugh-- "But then, THEN, she marches up to Kevin and asks him if he wanted to take her to the dance next Saturday!"

  
  


I bit my lip. Kevin Leary was Catherine's boyfriend and I could see Catherine's rage was starting to give way to unhappiness. She closed her eyes for a minute to calm herself. In a much more level voice she spoke again, opening somewhat remorseful and somewhat frustrated eyes,

  
  


"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now /who/ he takes to the dance."

  
  


"What do you mean?" I asked quietly dreading the answer.

  
  


"Kevin and I broke up."

  
  


"Oh, Catherine--" I began, but she interrupted with making a cutting off motion with her hand.

  
  


"Erika, I don't wanna hear it. We all knew it was bound to happen." She replied seriously.

  
  


"You broke up because someone asked him to go to the dance?" Willis asked suddenly, staring up at the fair, unsettled girl with a quirked eyebrow. "I can see you breaking up if he agreed with her, but..."

  
  


"Well, what do you think he said to her!? She's Lindzy Tripe for God's sake!" Catherine snapped at the blonde boy throwing her hands up in the air.

  
  


"You can't be serious." Willis stated. "You mean Kevin, /our/ Kevin, said yes to her?" 

  
  


But before Catherine could throw a comeback at the boy she was interrupted.

  
  


"Cathy, /forget/ that jerk." Came an excited voice from behind the two of us girls. We turned to face a bouncy, slightly plump girl with bright azure eyes and curly locks of platinum blonde hair. "Look over there, the boy getting out of line!"

  
  


I darted my eyes to the huge line, skimming for who Candra Churzy was addressing. "Which one?" I asked, backtracking through the lunch line and then over to the condiment stand.

  
  


"Dirty blonde hair, wearing the black long sleeved shirt, funny beige hat on his head..." Candra listed.

  
  


"Funny beige hat?" Willis offhandedly commented. "And he's supposed to be hot?"

  
  


"Shut up." The three of us said in unison; I could only imagine the pout on his cute face.

  
  


"Ah, there he is!" Candra pointed to a slim, tall boy walking up the large aisle lined with windows. 

  
  


He was by himself, face half shielded by a beige fishermen's hat, with little tufts of dirty blonde hair sticking out. He was dressed in dark colored cloths, self consciously looking around the large cafeteria with his foam white tray in his hands.

  
  


"Not much to really see of him to tell if he's hot, Candra." Catherine uttered.

  
  


Just then a lunch duty teacher walked up to him. I guess they told him to take the hat off because he did and it was like the room suddenly went dark and he was the only thing you could see.

  
  


"Damn..." Catherine gasped. I nodded, seeing what she meant.

  
  


"Rumor is he's the Japanese transfer student." Candra explained, watching the shy boy.

  
  


"Really?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from him to look at her. "He doesn't look Japanese."

  
  


To that she shrugged. Willis got up from his seat, obviously annoyed with our little scene, and came over to us. "Okay, who is it? Point him out."

  
  


"Aw, is someone jealous?" I asked looking up at him, a sly smile on my face.

  
  


"Are you kiddin' me? Everyone knows I'm the coolest guy here." Willis said, trying to look a bit taller in mockery to what he said. I snorted before inconspicuously pointing the boy out.

  
  


His blue eyes widened and he blinked a few times, as if trying to register something. "Nah... It can't be." He muttered, staring at the boy.

  
  


"What?" I asked.

  
  


"But maybe... Hey!" The flirt trailed off, starting to walk over to the hottie.

  
  


"Willis!" I hissed, but he kept walking.

  
  


"What's he doin'?" Catherine asked, eyeing him curiously.

  
  


Willis walked up to the stranger, all smiles and starting talking to him. The new kid looked quite surprised and timid for a minute before a look of recognition set in on his delicate features. They talked for a few more seconds before Willis thumped him on the back and lead him over to us.

  
  


"Does he know him?" Candra asked bewildered. I didn't know whether to say "I hope so" or "I hope not." Willis had a history of embarrassing the three of us in front of guys, especially the ones we either liked or thought were cute...

  
  


As the duo approached I could hear them speaking fluently in Japanese, and it was much easier to see the newcomer's features. I could feel a slight blush starting to creep onto my face as an excited, yet almost mortified tension started to fill the air. Willis grabbed a chair from another table and swung it out in front of foreigner.

  
  


"A-arigato." The cutie said, averting our eyes as he set his tray down.

  
  


"Guys, meet Takeru Takashi." Willis smiled brightly. "He's the new kid." He added.

  
  


"Oh!" I exclaimed, forgetting my bashfulness upon hearing his name. I pulled up a chair and sat next to him. "You're Mimi Tachikawa's friend, right?"

  
  


He nodded, bashfully smiling. He looked so cute like that, I couldn't help wanting to just stare at him for a good minute or two. He had big, light blue eyes, bed head, dirty blonde hair, and such a cute smile. He seemed sweet.

  
  


"I'm Erika Lawrence; one of Mimi's friends." I smiled cheerily at him. Catherine jabbed me in the back. "Oh, and these two," I gestured to the girl's behind me, "are Catherine O'Brien and Candra Churzy."

  
  


"Hajime--" The boy stopped himself abruptly before restarting with, "I mean... How do you do?" 

  
  


I couldn't help but smile at him. A faint blush graced his fairly light face, "You will... Have to excuse my English. I'm afraid I'm not too good."

  
  


I heard Candra giggle a little before giving a quick shriek. Catherine, Willis, Ta...care...ru?, and I all quickly turned to see Candra clenching her chest, glaring at a laughing black boy.

  
  


Catherine rolled her eyes, muttering, "Honestly Chris..."

  
  


"Candra, you're my girl!" Chris Tuckus laughed slapping the curly haired girl on the back. 

  
  


"When are you going to grow up Chris?!" Candra demanded, glaring into his dark chocolate colored eyes.

  
  


"All in good time, all in good time." He declared, a bemused smile playing on his face. Willis shook his head amused before turning to the boy sitting beside me.

  
  


"And that would be Christopher Tuckus."

  
  


At the mention of his name he turned to see who Willis was speaking to. "Ah... A newcomer, eh? Who are you?" 

  
  


"His name's Takeru ("Taker wha?" Chris interrupted, but Willis continued as if he hadn't heard him) Takashi. He's the new kid from Japan."

  
  


"Ooooooooh. So you're the dude all the ladies have been talking 'bout." Chris smiled down at the shy boy. 

  
  


I wanted to bang my head against the table; I felt incredibly sympathetic to the new kid, he seemed pretty scared of us. Well, we were a pretty embracive bunch. I hoped we weren't giving off a bad impression, I didn't want to scare him away...

  
  


"I'm Chris." Chris stuck his hand out to shake, "You got a nickname we can call ya? Not tryin' ta be disrespectful or anythin', but I dunno if I can pronounce your name without bein' offensive."

  
  


The Japanese boy lightly laughed and shook Chris's hand. "You can call me T.K.. My friends call me that."

  
  


"Then T.K. it is." Chris winked, withdrawing his hand. I mentally sighed relieved. With 'T.K.' there was no way I could say it wrong, I mean, they were two simple letters of our alphabet. 

  
  


"We got lucky man, eh? I mean, the sexes numbers are even now." Chris grinned at Willis. Willis just smiled and shook his head. He muttered 'baka' to T.K., causing the fair Japanese boy to smile faintly.

  
  


"Hey, don't you go callin' me names now!" 

  
  


"I didn't say anything!" Willis feigned innocence. "Isn't that right buddy?" He directed at T.K, but T.K. only smiled as if to say "I'm not getting involved in this."

  
  


The girls and I looked at each other before cracking up and everyone took their seats, waiting for the lunch line's numbers to dissolve. It seemed like things were looking up. I was sitting next to a hot, Japanese boy, was laughing with my friends, and only four more classes to go until the school day was done and over with. T.K. remained pretty quiet throughout our chatter, but he did smile a lot. We tried not to badger him too much, considering we knew (or rather, /I/ knew) what it was like to be the new kid. He'd open up sooner or later... If we didn't scare him off first.

  
  


As lunch was wrapping up I chanced a glance at the newcomer. I hoped we could become pretty good friends...

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  


Author's Note: My sincerest and biggest apologies for not getting this chapter up sooner. Six months, my goodness! Time certainly does fly! Anyway, my excuses are taking a break from writing it, a bit of writer's block, and lack of motivation and inspiration. Also, a rule of mine is to get Defying Destiny's new chapter out before I produce a new chapter for this story. I think the reason for that is I started Defying Destiny before this, so....

  
  


So, in conclusion, I will withstand from saying "I'll get this next chapter out at such, and such." Saying "As soon as possible" isn't really too bad to say, because, hey, I'm getting it out as soon as possible :-p. 

  
  


As far as sneak peak preview of the next chapter... I really don't know /what/ I'm going to do. I'm pretty sure it'll be back to T.K's point of view though. And with the recent turn of events, I do hope I don't turn my readers off from this story u_u. 

  
  


Thanks you's to: Apple From Mars, Silver Angel, Silver, and Ace. I love you guys! You keep me wanting to continue the story ^_____^. **Glomp**

  
  


So, until next time.......

  
  


Eraya ^_~


End file.
